The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-12-08
PRESIDENTIAL AUToeRAPHs.
Andrew Johasnn's the Rnrrsf, gashIn-.
tons Next and TayIcr's Third.

49, -tfFNf -
Andrew JohHsnn's the Rarrsf, Fashin-.
tons Neat and Taylcr's Third.
When an American starts IN 10 make
q collection Of autograph letters be Is
very apt 70 begin with the Presidents
Of the United States a set Of the
Presidents Is very desirable and each
year Il is becoming more difficult 20
form one. An amateur will know lit
tie Of the comparative value and Va
riety Of the different Presidents and
unless he is informed. BE- will miss
golden chances Of picking up rare
specimens. or ray too dearly Tor cum
mon ones
Washington naturally leads the list
In desirability. though Andrew john
son is the rarest AMI m"sf expensive
Full letters Il Washington are scarce,
and their price varies frnm S25 up
wards according - their size. condi-
ton and subject matter Letters dated
during the revolution are the most in
teresting. as they ar apr 10 contain
references % the war
Letters signed only BY Washington
are fairly common but always in good
demand AZ prices varying from az up
wards Those written by his secretary.
Alexander Hamilton, are perhaps the
best Hamilton was a master Of the
English language, and his sentences
flow as smoothly as those Of Addison
Washington letters will never become
cheaper, rs there Is n steady demand
from outside By people who want only
a Washington. The most exaggerated
idea Of the value prevails in Europe.
where 500 l. sometimes ssked for one.
Andrew johnson seldom wrote lot
IS His righ' arm was injured by
lNusket bail sud t was painful for him
% use It He confined himself 20 very
short notes-generslly in pencil-or
had his letters written BY his son. Tho
latter frequently signed his fathers
lame for him. This signing by proxy
las sometimes escaped notice. aud At
the Cist sale last spring one Of the let
tiers sold for {l5. Collectors have
grown very suspicious Of the name AMI
at the Richmond sale last month Il
signed document sold for the low price
Of S. A genuine signature is worth
hat alone Another reason why John
son wrote little was because he made
mist lkes In grammar and spelling and
be disliked to expose himself TO crit
icisIn.
Washington Is second IN rareness
and Zachary Taylor third. The old
soldier was handler with the sword
than with the pen. He wrnte a villain
Gus hand and was generous Of blots. 4
dne Taylor IS worth from Sl5 70 s2j.
and it is q very poor specimen that is
Got valued at less than s.. A number
Of forged signatures Of Taylor are in
circulation aud should be looked out
for. They are on large-sized card.
and may lie detected by the regularity
Of the writing.
Abraham Lincoln ranks fourth In
point Of rareuCsS He wrote short
Woodworking on the average about
half a sweet. and bis writing is ~ plain
and hOmespun as his character. He
wrote strslght 70 the point and wasted
no words The prices Of his letters
range from SIP to $50. It is safe ~
say that these prices will be greatly ia
creased in the near future.
The letters Of General Grant are
hlgh-priced. not 80 much because Of
their rarity as beJsuss Of the great
reputation Of the writer They range
in price from 80 20 $40. and there is a
large and steady demand for them.
Grants book had n tremendous sale,
and many people like 10 insert a letter
in the book, as il materially increases
the interest
John Adams and John Quincy Adams
bring good prices. Monroe. Madison.
Harrison. Jackson. jefferson. Tyler
and Polk run close together Al from 50
to 20 each Buchanan. Hayes. Pierce.
Van Buren, and Fillmore are lower
priced.
Arthur Is decidedly scarce. Il j.
often so soon after mans death II
takes time for letters to find their way
into the hands II strangers. Twenty
years hence Arthur's letters will be
commoner than they are at present
The Collector.